If you type “Tumblr” into the Google search bar the first suggestion is “Tumblr depression.”
Kermit the Frog stands looking into the hooded face of himself.
me: i need to go to bed
me to me: stay up thinking about sad things and suffer
Self-destruction to some, relatable to others.
And TikTok’s got hundreds of results similar to this when you search “mental illness,” “depression" and “anxiety.” This radical exposure isn’t uncommon. Tweeting about anti-depressants, posting memes mocking social anxiety and lip-syncing viral tunes about crippling panic attacks is trendy.
The outcomes can vary, as some see it as a way to make light of a tough situation, said Dustin Johnson, licensed psychologist at Auburn University. In other ways, jokes can make those suffering feel mocked and belittled. And since the plight of people suffering from one or more mental illnesses is so large, the chances of truly understanding what a joke will do to someone healing is impossible, Johnson said.
Medium’s Matt Klein unpacked the appeal to mental illness posts beautifully. The poster gets to throw out a personal issue, something they are suffering from without their face directly attached to it. Now, the photo of a garbage fire is taking the heat of stigma and shame. And when people like or comment, “Same!!!” the poster feels a little less alone in their struggle.
More than 43,800,000 adults, or one in five, have a diagnosable mental illness, and 50% of those mental illness issues come to the surface by age 14, according to Active Minds, a non-profit organization that works to spread mental health awareness on college campuses and schools. 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health.
Publicly talking about struggles is not a bad thing, Johnson said, considering where the community has come from in its fight against stigma and shame. Sending out a tweet about how OCD you can be isn’t the same as therapy, though. “Social media conversations should never be a replacement for getting help,” he said.
Those suffering are more likely to run to a social media community or their friends for help when they are suffering. Sixty-seven percent of college students will tell their close friends when they are having suicidal thoughts before telling anyone else. Eric Meyers, assistant professor of information science at the University of British Columbia, calls this the Silver Bubble Problem, according to the Atlantic.
“When you search for things repeatedly, the system tends to retrieve similar things to present to you," the article said.
It’s the equivalent of an echo chamber. You speak your peace and the world says, “Yes, and...” This begins a disguised competition, in some instances, seeing who can be more depressed, anxious or lonely. It can be hugely detrimental for someone’s healing process, Johnson said, but it really depends on the person.
In some twisted form of dark humor, memes on online conversations about mental struggles have increased awareness and removed some of the shame surrounding medication, treatment and counseling. The Auburn University Counseling Center, as well as colleges throughout the country, have seen massive increases in need and interest. Some of those patients coming after friends or acquaintances on social media suggested they try out counseling.
“Our traffic is up because people are communicating,” Johnson said. “And a lot of it is online.”